Compare towns
Unity vs Wayne vs Chesterville vs Somerville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Wayne has the most expensive homes ($363k median).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Unity | Wayne | Chesterville | Somerville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,858Highest |
1,101 |
1,397 |
837Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
37.8±4 16% below ME |
33.5±11.3 25% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
28.8%±7 ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3 ME: 22.4% |
13.7%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $62,857±$6k 16% below ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
$71,250±$15k 5% below ME |
| Wayne and Somerville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $206,900±$28kLowest 30% below ME |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
$218,100±$41k 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,088±$73 4% below ME |
$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,510 17% below ME |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$2,194Lowest 28% below ME |
$2,505 17% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.8%±13 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Somerville and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
17% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
85.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 14% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 38 | — | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Ecology Learning Ctr | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.4 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.